Our President and CEO Mary Ellen Iskenderian, together with the Vice Governor of the Bank of the National Bank of Rwanda and member of Women’s World Banking’s Africa Advisory Council authored an op-ed on the implications of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion’s Denarau Action Plan on financial inclusion for women around the world.
Policymakers often do not figure in stories of innovation, disruption and change. In fact, they are often seen as stewards of the status quo, enemies of progress. Not anymore. This past September in Fiji, policymakers proved they could be game-changers for women’s financial inclusion.
More than 100 financial regulators and policymakers adopted the Denarau Action Plan, the Alliance for Financial Inclusion’s (AFI) commitment to gender and women’s financial inclusion. The 10-point plan focuses on creating regulatory and operational environments conducive to bringing financial products and services to women.
The timing couldn’t be better: Momentum for women’s financial inclusion is increasing – led primarily by the private sector and civil society – and digital technologies are shaking up financial systems the world over. By adopting the action plan at this critical moment, policymakers are demonstrating their commitment to closing the financial inclusion gender gap, and looking to engage more with financial service providers and other stakeholders to push this agenda forward.
